1. Field
The present invention broadly relates to pouring dispensers and, in particular, to a bottle mounted pouring dispenser for pouring liquids such as liquor. The invention will hereinafter be described with reference to this application. However, it will be appreciated that the invention is not limited to this particular field of use.
2. General Background
Bottle mounted drink pouring dispensers have long been used in the bar and restaurant industry, as well as in the home, for dispensing liquors in a controlled fashion and with minimal spillage. In their simplest construction, such pouring dispensers comprise a cork or other flexible sealing device designed to seal the bottle opening, and a pour nozzle extending from the interior of the bottle through the cork or other scaling device. The nozzle allows fluid communication between the interior of the bottle and the exterior of the bottle. The nozzle is typically bent to facilitate pouring the liquid from the bottle into a container. An airflow vent in fluid communication with the bottle interior and in communication with the atmosphere facilitates pouring, allowing air to enter the bottle from the atmosphere upon liquid being poured from the bottle, equalizing the pressure.
Known pouring dispensers comprise a moulded plastic or metal pouring nozzle extending through an annular base portion. The annular base portion comprises a cylindrical extension which fits securely into the neck of the bottle, sealing the bottle. This cylindrical extension is commonly over-fitted with a flexible cork, rubber or other sealing device. This sealing device retains the pouring nozzle and base over the mouth of the bottle during use. The pouring nozzle extends through the annular base portion and cylindrical extension such that the interior of the bottle is in fluid communication with the exterior of the bottle by means of the pouring nozzle. The pouring dispenser is therefore inserted into the neck of a bottle to facilitate pouring from the bottle.
Pouring dispenser cleaning is of particular importance in bars and restaurants. Known pouring dispensers require removal of the entire dispenser for cleaning, leaving the bottle open to the atmosphere or requiring that bottles be covered with plastic wrap or an alternate water impermeable material. This process is time-consuming and not secure. Moreover the need for easy removal of the pouring dispenser from the bottle for the purpose of cleaning means that the pouring dispenser can be knocked off at inopportune times, such as while pouring liquid from the bottle or when the bottle is knocked or dropped.